Method and Device for Opening Cans

ABSTRACT

An indented portion under the opening ring in a can with a ring pull up and open mechanism to ease the opening process of cans. Option of advertising, lotteries and other marketing methods using the indentation to house such marketing literature.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of can openers and in particular a method of opening cans with a ring pull mechanism.

BACKGROUND of the INVENTION

Cans are used for a variety of uses mainly in the food and drinks industry. Opening cans has always presented 10 difficulty as can openers are often hard to operate and leave dangerously sharp edges. A breakthrough was achieved with the introduction of the “ring pull” can openers. These involve an integral ring in the lid of the can whereby the user pulls the ring to tear off the lid or in the case of drinks or other 15 liquids, part of the lid or sometimes to push part of the lid inside the can thereby leaving an opening in the lid giving access to the liquid in the can.

The main disadvantage of the ring pull method is the difficulty people experience when grasping the ring which 20 often lies parallel to and adjacent with the lid of the can. The young and the elderly are especially affected by this problem which can cause much discomfort and even can cause broken fingernails.

Prior art shows many attempts to solve this problem, for 25 example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,409 issued to Bittel 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,777 issued to Osmar 1992, U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,953 issued to Eve 1999 and WIPO patent number WO2001016015 all of which reveal different devices made to ease the problem above described concerning the opening the can that has a ring pull can opener. Most of these patents use a “J” shaped handle device to place under the ring in order to lever the ring 5 upwards and thereafter tear off the lid.

The main disadvantage of these “J” handles that they need to be acquired and thereafter need to be in the place of the user when he wishes to open the can. This is often not the case. Another disadvantage of the “J” handles and other 10 shaped handles that the use of leverage to ease the opening procedure is that they also have a tendency to cause the ring to snap off the can lid, if not handled with great care, because of the great pressure created by the leverage.

This invention reveals a more simple method of opening 15 cans that use pull rings and this method enhances the original idea of the pull ring without requiring the purchase of additional equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description present embodiments of the invention and are intended to provide 5 an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings 10 illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and operations of the invention but not to limit the invention to these descriptions only.

The object of this invention is to aid the opening of cans 15 with ring pull can openers without needing additional equipment to pull on the ring. The invention would apply to cans containing solids or liquids.

During the manufacture of the can there would be a lid with a semi spherical concave indentation under the place where 20 the ring is situated. This indentation enables the user to place his finger under the ring and lift up the ring to tear off the lid of the can or in the case of liquids, part of the lid.

The main difficulty of users of ring pull can openers is the initial grasping of the ring. The state of art procedure causes 25 the user to be frustrated and sometimes causes fingernails to break. Once the user's finger is in the ring, the opening of the can is straightforward and even preferable to the large leverage of “J” handles, which sometimes cause the ring to snap off the lid, leaving the can sealed without a means to open the same.

Another object of this invention is to use the indentation in the lid of the can to promote marketing efforts by being the 5 niche for lottery tickets or other advertising or promotion material.

Another object of this invention is for the said tickets and promotion materials to be wrapped and attached to the can in such a manner that any unauthorized interference with the tickets or materials is observably identifiable.

Instead of the concave indentation in the lid of the can or in conjunction with the said indentation could be a convex shaped ring to better accommodate the finger that is placed under the ring in order to lift the ring to open the can.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain by way of example only, the principles of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a schematic depiction of a can of soda can from the plan view.

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a soda can from the sectional view as seen from the side of the ring.

FIG. 3 is a schematic depiction in section of an embodiment of a can with the pull-up ring as seen from the rear of the ring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As will be appreciated the present invention is capable of other and different embodiments than those discussed 5 above and described in more detail below, and its several details are capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Accordingly, the drawings and description of the embodiments set forth below are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

FIG. 1 shows a soda can 100 from the plan view where the area in view is the lid 102 of the can 100. The lid 102 has a groove 104 along the line where the lid 102 will be broken 15 by the opening process. The opening is achieved by lifting the ring 106 which is positioned parallel to and adjacent to the lid.

This illustration of opening is suitable for a can containing liquids but the same principles and elements would apply to a can containing solids where the opening groove 104 of the can is usually a complete circle adjacent to the circumference of the can 100.

FIG. 2 shows the upper portion of the can 100 in sectional 25 view as seen from the side of the pull-ring 106. The lid 102 is manufactured with an indentation 108 shaped semi-spherical and concave as viewed from above.

The pull-ring 106 is attached to the lid 102 at the connection point 110. The connection point 110 acts as a pivot point when the ring 106 is lifted. The user's finger enters the indentation 108 and fits under the ring 106 in order to ease the lifting of the ring 106.

Advertising or lottery tickets or prizes or other kinds of commercial promotions 112 could be kept in the indentation 108. The said promotions 112 could be kept in a sealed manner, to prevent pre-purchase interference.

FIG. 3 shows a can 100 in section from the rear end of the pull-up ring 120, that is to say, from the direction the finger is inserted under the ring 120 in order to lift the ring 120. There is a concave indentation 108 which, together with the convex shape of the ring 120, the lifting finger may be comfortably inserted to lift the ring 120 to open the can 100.

The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described above, but to encompass any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A device for opening cans comprising a concave 5 indentation in the lid of a can positioned under the ring of a ring-pull can opening mechanism.
 2. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said indentation is sufficiently deep for a person's finger to fit between the said ring and the 10 said lid.
 3. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said indentation contains promotional and marketing material.
 4. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said indentation contains a lottery ticket.
 5. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said material is sealed and attached to the said can in such a way that it is obvious to observe if the said material has been tampered with.
 6. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 4 wherein the said lottery ticket is sealed and attached to the said can in such a way that it is obvious to observe if the said lottery ticket has been 25 tampered with.
 7. A device for opening cans as claimed in claims 3 and 4 wherein the said ring can not be lifted without displacing the said material or said ticket.
 8. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said ring is convex shaped to facilitate 5 the entry of the user's finger in order to lift the said ring.
 9. A method for opening cans comprising the steps of: a. inserting a finger under an opening ring of a can where there is an indentation in the lid of the said 10 can under the said ring, and b. lifting the said ring with the said finger to break a pre-set groove inset in the said lid of the said can.
 10. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 9 wherein the said ring is convex shaped to facilitate 15 the entry of the user's finger in order to lift the said ring.
 11. A device for opening cans comprising; a. a concave indentation in the lid of a can positioned under the ring of a ring-pull can 20 opening mechanism, and b. the said ring having a convex shape to facilitate the entry of the user's finger in order to lift the said ring.
 12. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 11 wherein the said indentation is sufficiently deep for a person's finger to fit between the said ring and the said lid.
 13. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 11 wherein the said indentation contains promotional and marketing material.
 14. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 11 wherein the said indentation contains a lottery 5 ticket.
 15. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 13 wherein the said material is sealed and attached to the said can in such a way that it is obvious to observe if the said material has been tampered with.
 16. A device for opening cans as claimed in claim 14 wherein the said lottery ticket is sealed and attached to the said can in such a way that it is obvious to observe if the said lottery ticket has been tampered with.
 17. A device for opening cans as claimed in claims 13 and 14 wherein the said ring can not be lifted without displacing the said material or said ticket. 